1. Field
The present embodiments relate to a switch device.
2. Related Art
A typical example of a switch device of this type is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 8-7701 (pages 3 to 4, FIG. 1). Such a switch device includes a pair of switch units disposed on a circuit board inside a housing. An actuator is disposed over the two switch units. A tiltable operating member is disposed on the actuator. In this conventional switch device, the operating member tiltably supported within the housing is partly exposed through a window of the housing so that a portion of the operating member can be manually operated by an operator. When the operating member is operated, one end of the actuator is pushed inward so that the switch unit disposed below that end is pressed. Accordingly, by selectively pushing the opposite ends of the actuator using the operating member, switch-on signals can be selectively output from the pair of switch units.
The conventional switch device described above requires an installation space inside the housing for stacking the switch units and the actuator below the operating member. This leads to an increase in the height of the housing, which makes a low-profile structure for the entire device difficult to achieve.
In the conventional switch device described above, the actuator is interposed between the operating member and the switch units. Thus, the actuator can be held in position only after an installation process for the operating member is completed. The actuator is apt to become displaced or detached at an assembly stage, which is one of significant factors that lower the assembly efficiency. In the conventional example, since the operating member has to be used for pushing the actuator downward, the operating method of the operating member is extremely limited. For example, it is difficult to apply the conventional example to a switch device of a sliding type.
Accordingly, a low-profile switch device in which a pair of switch units can be selectively pushed, and a steering switch apparatus equipped with such a switch device is desired. A switch device having enhanced assembly properties and applicable to various operating types, and a steering switch apparatus equipped with such a switch device is also desired.